I don't often get excited by emails these days, "you've won £1 million in a contest you didn't know you'd entered", has still not arrived in my inbox! But earlier this week I have to admit to there being a squeal when some pictures from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
A new exhibition called Sampled Lives gives us an opportunity to see some of the archives most precious treasures. I remember doing a very simple sampler as a child at school and feeling quite proud of my work. but in comparison to these works it was nothing at all!
The detail and complicated nature of the stitches … [Read more...]

Some of our long term readers may remember that some years ago I made a birthday quilt for our Irish Baby when she turned 21. A labour of love with fabric donated from all her friends and family.
Well this spring my Bernard turned 21, so it was time for her to have a memory quilt of her own. Despite not having done a single stitch of quilting since 2012, I thought I'd be more ambitious with the design........obviously! Seriously, why don't people stop me when I come up with these ideas!
Luckily I have a very wonderful Badger who kept me supplied with tea and biscuits and helped me with … [Read more...]

Fallout Nuka Cola Vending Machine.(BUILD ……………………PAINT in Part 2)
After the phenomenal number of views and comments when Splosh threw this up on reddit I thought I’d better put together a quick build blog. Unfortunately it looks like I may of lost most of the in process pictures whilst “tidying” up files so build photos are a bit thin on the ground.
Vault 57 is the reason this madness was even entered into, it’s an annual non-profit LRP (Live Role-play) game set in the Fallout universe to the Northwest of the Capital Wasteland. Having been involved for a couple of years making props … [Read more...]

“If it's flipping hamburgers at McDonald's, be the best hamburger flipper in the world. Whatever it is you do you have to master your craft.”
Snoop Dogg (yep that Snoop Dogg)
As you no doubt are already aware we like to refer to ourselves as a 'crafty family'.
That is not to say that we are particularly wily or cunning, although my dear Mumsicles has been compared to a fox with two tails.
We are crafty in as much as we love, or perhaps need to craft, to create. We say 'crafty' to distinguish ourselves from those who might be considered 'arty'. … [Read more...]

It seems the in thing to wear at music festivals this summer is the tail!
Be it a dinosaur, tiger or devil, anyone who is anyone is wearing some dangling out of the back of their trousers! - and no that's not rude thank you!
So having had a discussion with the most wonderful Mammasaurus about her epic trip to Camp Bestival we thought we'd make some - and send them to her lovely babies - cos they is so cute!
And give that it was pretty easy and a good way to use up scraps of fabric and leftovers, we might even make some more!
And in case you want to have a go yourself - we made … [Read more...]

I was asked by the Cupcake Lady to make her bag in purple and so I thought I'd show you all how it went!
One of my favourite creative books (although I find the instructions a little over complicated so tend to use the patterns and make it up as I go along!
Now as to fabric, I thought a mix of patterned and plain would be good So a classic gingham check and a lovely shade of dark plum! (although the colours aren't great here!)
And after one quick trip to the post office, and the supermarket for more coffee I set to work! Armed with the pattern, a couple of feline assistants and series … [Read more...]

When I asked Mammasaurus to guest write my Golden Jubilee post, I knew it would be good. But a whole Grand Designs project?
Can you believe it? Mary's only gone and banged out 59 posts! Fifty nine! And now on the big '60' she's bravely handed over the reigns to me for the day...Such a great honour requires effort. Effort and crafting skillz.
Now not being world famous for being crafty I had to muster up every ounce of energy I had and recollect back to my school girl days of trudging home from school to watch a bit of Tony Hart. As a special treat Queen Scamp stayed up a little bit late … [Read more...]

I am a great collector of bags and boxes (as the overcrowding issue in the house is testament to!) and I particularly like old suitcases. I love the idea that these treasures have been around the world to far flung places, or a vital part of a joyful family holiday or maybe even stored someones special treasures under the bed. I have quite a few and decided that a rather sad looking one needed a new lease of life, and would make a great crate for craft fairs and then double as display space on the table. So we had a play and this is what we came up withA bashed and scratched exteriorA … [Read more...]

I have always been a great person for lists, sometimes because I am forgetful, but mostly because I have real thing about stationary. There's nothing quite like the smell of a newly opened notebook or packet of paper. The feeling of making that first mark on a fresh page is very special, and not really repeatable when you type of a keyboard.I have a large collection of note books, and decided that the plain boring ones needed cheering up a bit.So with some off cuts of felt left over from other projects and the contents of the scraps box and button tin I made these!Completely removable, … [Read more...]

I bought book about Handbags ages ago and then put it on a shelf and forgot to look at it.Whilst searching for another book last week I came across it again and was renewed with enthusiasm for the subject and had a browse through. The patterns and ideas in the book are great, but I wanted to have a go at my own ideas and so following the some of the authors techniques and one of her patterns I went ahead and made some of my own. As with all things it is a learning curve, and sometimes a steep one, but with time, practice and a certain amount of swearing I have made some … [Read more...]